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Spicy Southwest Chicken Salad

Spicy Southwest chicken salad with blackened chicken slices over a vibrant romaine base, charred corn, black beans, and avocado. Finished with a creamy chipotle ranch that coats every bite in smoky heat.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
refrigerate 5 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Blackened chicken salad
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts Use evenly thick breasts for more consistent blackening.
  • 2 tbsp Cajun or blackening seasoning Coat the surface thoroughly for dark crust.
  • 1 tbsp olive oil Helps the seasoning blacken in the hot pan.
  • 6 cup romaine lettuce Chopped for a sturdy salad base.
  • 1 cup corn kernels Char for sweet, smoky flavor.
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans Drain and rinse to reduce sodium.
  • 2 avocados Slice; toss lightly with lime if holding.
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes Halved for easy scooping.
  • 1 cup tortilla strips Add at the end to keep crunchy.
For the chipotle ranch
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.25 cup sour cream
  • 1 chipotle pepper in adobo Minced for even heat throughout.
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 ranch seasoning packet
For serving
  • 1 cilantro Chopped or leaves, to taste.
  • 1 lime wedges Serve alongside for brightness.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Make chipotle ranch
  1. Whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, minced chipotle pepper in adobo, lime juice, and ranch seasoning packet until smooth. Cover and refrigerate while you cook the chicken.
Blacken and slice chicken
  1. Coat the boneless skinless chicken breasts with Cajun or blackening seasoning. Heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet over high heat until very hot.
  2. Cook the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until deeply blackened and internal temperature reaches 165°F. Rest the chicken for 5 minutes, then slice.
Assemble and serve
  1. Assemble the salads with romaine lettuce as the base. Top with the charred corn kernels, black beans, sliced avocados, and cherry tomatoes.
  2. Place the sliced blackened chicken over the salad. Drizzle the chipotle ranch generously over everything.
  3. Top with tortilla strips and garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.

Notes

Pro tip: Char the corn right before assembling so it stays smoky and the salad stays crisp. Refrigerate the chipotle ranch in an airtight container up to 3 days; cooked chicken keeps up to 3-4 days in the fridge. Freezing isn’t recommended for best texture (especially the avocado and tortilla strips). For a lighter option, swap mayonnaise for Greek yogurt in the chipotle ranch while keeping the sour cream the same.